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Interviews | November 19, 2009

Dave: IMG Finding John Irving: The Powells.com Interview

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johnirving[Editor's note: The following is a reprint of our 2005 interview with John Irving, whose new novel, Last Night in Twisted River, has just come out... Continue »
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    Last Night in Twisted River

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1 Local Warehouse Romance- General

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Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels

by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name...

We do it in the dark. Under the sheets. With a penlight. We wear sunglasses and a baseball hat at the bookstore. We have a "special place" where we store them. Let's face it: Not many folks are willing to publicly admit they love romance novels. Meanwhile, romance continues to be the bestselling fiction genre. Ever. So what's with all the shame?

Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan — the creators of the wildly popular blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books — have no shame! They look at the good, the bad, and the ugly in the world of romance novels and tackle the hard issues and questions:

— The heroine's irresistible Magic Hoo Hoo and the hero's untamable Wang of Mighty Lovin'

— Sexual trends. Simultaneous orgasms. Hymens. And is anal really the new oral?

— Romance novel cover requirements: man titty, camel toe, flowers, long hair, animals, and the O-face

— Are romance novels really candy-coated porn or vehicles by which we understand our sexual and gender politics?

With insider advice for writing romances, fun games to discover your inner Viking warrior, and interviews with famous romance authors, Beyond Heaving Bosoms shows that while some romance novels are silly — maybe even tawdry — they can also be intelligent, savvy, feminist, and fabulous, just like their readers!

Review:

"A high-octane, hilarious and revelatory look at the romance genre...It's too much fun to be missed!" Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author

Synopsis:

A guide to the most popular — and maligned — fiction genre, this hilariously sarcastic but always affectionate study of romance novels is perfect for hardcore fans and dabblers alike. Black and white illustrations throughout.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
JCBunnell, May 15, 2009 (view all comments by JCBunnell)
The title exactly describes what this book delivers: a sharply barbed, vividly opinionated survey of today's romance genre that's both entertaining and thought-provoking. It isn't a scholarly study (although it mentions a couple), a love letter to the genre (although its authors are long-standing and very well read fans), or a how-to-write primer (although there's a lot of useful material for those who'd like to break in). Those with no background whatsoever may wish for a more explicit glossary, but as a field guide to its chosen genre, I definitely recommend this.
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katieann88, May 10, 2009 (view all comments by katieann88)
This book is a love letter to all who frequent the Smart Bitches blog. Other than that, it is vastly ridiculous and poorly written. If you love The Bitches, you will love the book. Don't bother if you are not a fan.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781416571223
Subtitle:
The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels
Author:
Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan
Illustrator:
Renaud, Joanne
Author:
Wendell, Sarah
Author:
Tan, Candy
Publisher:
Fireside Books
Subject:
Women's Studies - General
Subject:
Popular Culture - General
Subject:
General
Subject:
Love stories
Subject:
History and criticism
Subject:
Women's Studies
Subject:
Gothic & Romance
Subject:
Love stories -- History and criticism.
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Publication Date:
April 2009
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
291
Dimensions:
8.40x5.55x.77 in. .54 lbs.
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